Device for straightening spiral binders



May 6, 1941. A. FREUNDLICH 2,240,903

DEVICE FOR STRAIGH TENING SPIRAL BINDERS v Filed Sept. 2, 1939 2 sheetssheet l I I III M.

INVENTOR flLBBQT Flea/N0; /c// ATTORNEYS May 6, 1941. A. FREUNDLICH DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING SPIRAL BINDERS Filed Sept. 2, 1939 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented May 6, 1941 DEVICE iron STRAIGHTENING SPIR ,BINDERS Albert Freundlich, New York,1N. Y., assignor to Kamket Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York 1 Application September 2, 1939, Serial No. 293,153

. l v 6 Claims.

This invention relatesflto a machine for straightening a portionof, each of the convolutions of spiral binders, particularly that portion of the spirals which directly engages or passes through the apertures of the binder when the book is closed. The object of the invention is to provide a simple machine which is adjustable to accommodate various types of spiral binders and books of various width.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device; Fig. 2 is aside View; Fig.3 is an end view-from the left of Fig. 2;-Fig'. 4 is an enlarged detail of the implements which operate upon the convolutions shown in open position; Fig. is the same representation as Fig. 4 after the implements have acted upon thespirals; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig.4; Fig.7 is a section on the line 'l-l of Fig.5; Fig.8 is a portion of the book in open positionwith the spiral attached; Fig. 9 is an end view of an open book with the spiral attached thereto. l I

Thebase I of the machine is provided with suitable brackets 2 whereby the machine may be bolted or otherwise fastened to a table. The upper movable pressure member 3 and the lower pressure member 4 are mounted upon'the base plat I by pivoted links 5-5, 6-'-6--respectively. An operating handle I is pivotally secured at 8 to the base I and is provided withan arm 9 pivotally connected at H1, at a spaced distance-from the pivot 8, to the handle 1 and pivotally connected at H to the 'upper pressure member 3. The lower pressure member 4.is arranged parallel to the upper pressure member 3 and in spaced relation thereto, but adjustable to accommodate books of diiierent sizes. The lower pressure member 4 is centrally supported and adjustable to varying heights by means of the disc [2 carried by the screw l3, adjustable in the hub l4 and locked in adjusted position by the winged lock nut l5. Suitable apertures are provided in the disc l2 to permit the raising and lowering of the disc and the screw 13. The base I is provided with threaded lugs IE to receive and permit the inward and outward movement of the handscrew 1'! which is adjustable with respect to the lug l8 depending from the fixed lower pressure member 4. The lower pressure member at the extreme end thereof is provided with a fixed bracket l9 threaded at the free end thereof to permit the inward and outward movement of the handscrew secured in adjusted position by the lock nut 2|. Studs 22 are secured to the base I and have anchored thereto the ends of coil springs 23, the opposite ends of which coil springsare secured to pins 24 fixed to the right pair of links 5. Atable 25, provided for the purpose of supporting the book to be operated upon, is secured by bolts 26 to the lower pressure memher 4 and will consequently partake of its adjustment; The gauge 21 is secured upon the lower pressure member 4, opposite the table 25 by the bolts 28. A stop-piece 29 is secured to the end of the upper pressure member 3.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the machine is quite flexible, capable, within its capacity, of adjustment to accommodate spiral binders of different sizes and books of varying dimensions. In order to adjust the machine, the lower pressure member 4 is adjusted by means of the screw l3 and its associated parts until the distancebetween the member 8 and the companion upper member 3 is slightly greater than the diameter of the wire spiral which is to be operated upon. The handscrew I1 is then tightened against the block 18 for the purpose of assisting in holding the lower member 4 in its ad justed position. The screw 20 is then adjusted and locked to limit the downward motion of the upper pressure member'3 in order that, in its most downward position, its lower edge which contacts the spirals will be spaced from the upper edge of the lower pressure member a distance slightly less than the diameter of the convolutions of the spirals to be deformed or operated upon. Such adjustment is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the space between the tip of the handscrew 20 and the stop-piece 29 indicates the extent of movement whichtheupp er member 3' will take when th handle 1 is depressed.

A book or other assembly of material or pages, bound with a spiral binder, is inserted in the machine by placing the body of the book upon the table 25 with the spiralbinder against the gauge 21, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the spiral binder is positioned between the spaced upper and lower pressure members 3 and 4. The handle is then thrown over until its further motion is stopped by contact of the stop-piece 29 with the end of the handscrew 20. The handle is then released and the pair of coil springs 23 draw the upper pressure member 3 and the handle to normal position. It may be necessary, in the course of the adjustment of the machine, to test a few binders and to make adjustments accordingly in order that the deformation of the spiral binders is properly accomplished. The device should be adjusted in order that those portions of each convolution which are within the book when it is closed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and which portions lie between the inner faces of the pressure members 3 and 4, are deformed to vertical and parallel position, substantially at right angles to the plane of the book, as will be apparent from a comparison of Figs. 6 and 7. In'the normal operation of the machine, the upper member is given such movement as to permit not only the formation of the vertical sections o'f'the spiral binder but also to bring about a slight deformation of the convolutions from the substantially true circular shape shown in Fig. 4 to the ovalized shape shown in Fig. 5. It has been found that if pressure is applied to the extent herein explained, there is a consolidation of the metal and a considerable decrease in the diameterof the binder, which is desirable for stacking and packing of the books.

It is to be noted that the operation of this device is dependent upon a squeezing and pushing or dragging action exerted upon portions ofthe spiral binders in which the movable member 3 not only moves downwardly but also moves forwardly with respect to the handle I. During the first portion of the stroke of the handle the upper portion 3 is not in engagement with the spirals (see Fig. 6), such contact occurring after the handle has been brought into motion. Pressure is applied gradually to the convolutions, causing portions of the convolutions to be grasped or squeezed between the faces of the two members 3'and 4; the continued motion of the upper member 3 downwardly and forwardly, while firmly grasping the convolutions between it and the member 4, draws or forces sectors of each convolution from the oblique or spiral position to the straight position shown in Fig. 7. The pressure exerted upon the convolutions is of such a character as to permanently deform them out of their spiral relation and into their vertical relation somewhat consolidating the metal and permanently fixing the vertical sections of the spiral, at the same time slightly flattening the rings into oval contour as shown in Fig. 5.

The portions of the spiral binder passing through the apertures of the book, both in the closed and flat, open condition, are vertical or parallel to the axis of the apertures 30, and the edges of the book are in true alignment horizontally, instead of misalignment, as would be the case if the spiral binder remained a true helix or spiral throughout.

I claim:

1. A device for straightening spiral wires and the like, comprising a pair of substantially parallel pressure members, means to maintain said members in spaced relation to permit the entry therebetween of a spiral binder or the like and permitting free sliding movement of the spiral binder between said pressure members to align said binder between said members, pivoted mounting for one of said members, means to limit the amount of movement'of said member to a predetermined extent, means to move said last mentioned member, said last mentioned member in its movement moving simultaneously lengthwise and downwardly with respect to said binder, engaging the high portions of said binder and deforming a portion of said binder from an obliqueposition to a substantially straight position.

2. A device for straightening spiral wires and the like, comprising a pair of substantially parallel pressure members having plain surfaces facing each other, means to maintain said members in spaced relation to permit the free entry therebetween of a spiral binder or the like, means to relatively move one of said members in a direction lengthwise and toward the other member and during such movement clamping portions of the binder therebetween and forcing such clamped portions in the direction of the relative movement of said members, and means to limit the amount of movement of said movable member to a predetermined-extent. 3. A device of the character set forth in claim 2, in which one of the pressure members is adjustable with respect to the other to vary the normal space therebetween and means to permanently secure the adjusted member in the adjusted position.

l. A device of the character set forth in claim 2, in which pressure members: are mounted upon links to permit movement of said members lengthwise of each other and simultaneously toward each other.

5. A device of the character set forth in claim 2, in which one of the pressure members is provided with means to forcibly project said member lengthwise of and toward the other pressure member and spring means to return the adjusted member to normal position.

6. A device of the character set forth in claim 2 in which an adjustable member is interposed in the path of movement of the movable pressure member to limit the extent of movement of the movable member lengthwise and toward the 

